I was recently discussing with a friend at the gym (that’s you Coach Meg) the impact of ventilationism in different cultures and the profound effect it has upon that wider society (Japan vs the US, for example). However, when it comes to emotions like anger, venting is not necessarily the best way forward, it tends to amp up the hot emotion and inhibit our ability to respond accurately or wisely. Similarly, bottling it up is also not advised, it consumes a lot of our cognitive resources, exhausting our decision-making abilities and inhibiting our ability to experience feel good emotions. So what does work?
Reappraisal.
Ochsner conducted an impressive body of neuroscientific research on the way reappraisal is healthier and better for us in response to hot emotions such as anger and even anxiety. Teach and learn to effectively reappraise.